Players and supporters were celebrating on Saturday after Stogumber completed victory over visitors Carhampton to win the Division Two title with two matches still to play. 
This has been a terrific season for captain James Rexworthy and his squad, with a playing record which reads played 16, won 15. The one match they failed to win was called off midway through the game because of heavy rain.
 Carhampton put up a spirited fight, however, before going down to a five-wicket defeat with a brilliant hundred by opener Luke Taylor being the highlight of their innings. After losing three quick wickets, two of them in the first over of the match to the fiery Mark Bryant, Taylor dominated the home bowling. He cracked 19 fours and four sixes and shared in vital partnerships with Adrian Priddle and Rob Follett as the visitors reached 209-8 in their 40 overs. Bryant and Lee Penny were the pick of the home bowlers, both taking three wickets.
A target of 210 for victory is normally very achievable on Stogumber’s excellent batting wicket, but accurate bowling by Matt Long and John Tidbald kept openers, Dan Godfrey and Robbie Watts, in check. Gradually runs started to flow but wickets were also beginning to fall. When Eli Hayes joined Rexworthy, the target was eight runs an over, but sensible play between these two – and a number of fiercely hit boundaries – saw victory achieved in the 38th over, with Rexworthy unbeaten on 55.
After the game Rexworthy said he was delighted with how the season had gone and was looking forward to locking horns with teams in Division One. He added: “We know we’ll have more difficult games next year but the spirit in the side is pretty good. It’s a fairly young side and they still have plenty to learn but I’m confident we’ll hold our own.” 
Carhampton 209 (L Taylor 129, A Priddle 27, L Penny 3-42, M Bryant 3-59)).
Stogumber 210-5 (J Rexworthy 55 not, R. Watts 41, D Godfrey 40, R Spiers 2-37, R Rich 2-50).
Stogumber 25 points, Carhampton 8 points.

Another terrific innings by Simon Penny laid the foundation for Stogumber’s 63-run victory over third placed Lydeard St Lawrence on Saturday. Penny finished just six runs short of a well deserved century as he helped the home side to a formidable 276 for 3.

On an excellent Stogumber wicket, the home side found runs hard to come by in the early stages against fine accurate bowling by Nathan Hill and visiting captain Simon Cattell, with Hill conceding just 15 runs in his first eight overs. Dan Godfrey (35) was the first to go when he sliced an attempted pull to fine leg in the eighteenth over with the total on 69. Penny then joined Robbie Watts and these two put on 118 for the second wicket, with the ball disappearing to all parts of the ground in the latter part of their partnership.

Watts finished with an excellent 78 but the tempo continued with the arrival of Arron Webster (30). Webster’s departure signalled the start a magnificent burst of scoring by Penny, who ended his undefeated innings of 94 with four sixes. A total of 66 runs came in the last five overs, a telling factor in the final result.

Lydeard’s reply was centred on a fine half-century by Mark Hannaford. Nathan Hill hit a brisk 33 at the top of the order and there were useful contributions by Steve Rucklidge and Dave Hill. When Hannaford departed after his splendid 55, however, the innings subsided to 213 all out in the 39th over. Occasional bowler Nick Bennett was the pick of the bowlers. He finished with 4-45 off 7.3 overs and certainly showed his skipper that perhaps he should turn his arm over on a more regular basis.

Stogumber 276-3 (S Penny 94 not, R Watts 78, D Godfrey 35, A Webster 30).

Lydeard St Lawrence 213 (M Hannaford 55, D Hill 38, S Rucklidge 37, N Hill 33, N Bennett 4-45, B Walsh 2-20, S Penny 2-63).

Stogumber 26 points, Lydeard St Lawrence 6 points

Stogumber continued their season’s unbeaten run on Saturday but only after they were given a mighty fright by bottom side Morebath. In a game reduced to 30 overs a side, the visitors were indebted to another very important innings by Simon Penny as they scrambled to a four-wicket victory in the penultimate over.

Batting first, Morebath’s innings was punctuated by several heavy showers. They lost two early wickets to the persevering Lee Penny and at 61 for 6 appeared to be heading for a low total. An excellent partnership, however, of 80 between Chris Hill and M Hunt (29) kept the home side in the game. Hill played several delightful shots, particularly though the covers, as he made his way to a fine 56 as the home side were finally bowled out in their final over for 151.

James Rexworthy finished with the excellent figures of 5 for 33 off eight overs, but overall Stogumber’s bowling and fielding was below par, perhaps a reflection of several of their players celebrating a special birthday of a popular member the previous evening.

Stogumber were given a sound start by Stuart Thorne and Brandon Walsh but against some excellent and accurate bowling found themselves in trouble at 60 for 4 and with the overs slipping away. Aarron Webster (21) helped Penny take the score past the 130 mark before Webster departed. Penny was then well caught by Mock for 52, but sensible batting by Ben Howe and two lusty blows by the experienced Brian Penny took Stogumber to victory.

Morebath: 151 (C Hill 56, M Hunt 29, J Rexworthy 5-33, L Penny 2-31).

Stogumber: 152 – 6 (S Penny 52, A Webster 21, H Oliver 3-39).

 Morebath 8 points, Stogumber 26 points.